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1.
Leia is only two years old when she first uses the force. She is in her spacious nursery, decorated with nature scenes inspired by Alderaan, and her parents are sitting near her on the plush carpet. She has many toys, she is a very lucky child - Bail and Breha have spared no expense when it comes to their longed-for child, but there is one toy that she favours over all others - a velvety, fluffy, brown Ewon. It is distantly related to the Ewoks that she will encounter as an adult but, for the time being, it is her favourite because it is soft and beautiful. It sits on a shelf above her bed, so close yet so far away from her. She stares longingly at it’s sweet face, as her parents try to tempt her with other toys, she reaches out one chubby hand, grasping at the air.
“Ewon.” She pleads softly. “Ewon.”
“Of course, princess, how silly of mama and dada to put him on the shelf so far away.” Bail smiles at her indulgently, as Breha smirks. He uncrosses his legs and is almost standing up, when Leia takes matters into her own hands.
Ewon shifts slightly on the shelf. Leia reaches out towards him, her hand stretching desperately. “Ewon.” Bail pauses, watching her intently. The toy shifts again. Breha raises her eyebrows, grabbing Bail’s leg to get his attention.
“I know.” He whispers.
The toy shoots forward suddenly, before hovering unsteadily in the air. “Ewon!” Leia exclaims gleefully, a cheerful smile gracing her face. The toy floats towards her, bobbing and weaving in the air, as if guided by an invisible hand. Soon, Leia is clutching it in her arms, burying her face in the plush fabric. She babbles happily.
Bail and Breha exchange a meaningful glance but say nothing. They do not encourage or discourage this behaviour, they simply wait to see what happens. Leia does not do this again in their presence, but they never forget that she did it once.
2.
“Do something?” Han asks her one day.
”Such as?” Leia lies next to him on the rumpled sheets of their bed.
“Like Luke.”
She raises an eyebrow, “Is there something you want to tell me?”
”I mean...the force,” He rolls his eyes and shifts closer towards her, “You’re twins, right? So, I was wondering if you can...y’know move stuff like he can?”
It was still new, this idea of her and Luke being twins, although it felt achingly familiar it also felt strangely alien to her. The idea of having a brother, a twin brother, and they both shared special powers - it was something she still needed to fully accept. When it came to Luke and the force, she still felt confused, like she was trying to remember something long forgotten.
“I...don’t know how.” Leia stumbled over the words but even as she said them, she knew they weren’t true. She did know, deep down. “Let me try.”
She closed her eyes slowly, and tried to relax, it was there - in the the distance - she let her mind reach out to it and there! The force washed over her and she let it flow through her. It was power, it was confidence, it was tranquility, it was clarity.
Han was staring at her earnestly, lying on his side, propping himself up with one arm, she knew this without having to open her eyes.
Leia searched for the item she wanted it, floating it carefully around the bed, low to the floor so Han would not see. She then used the force to propel it upwards and towards Han.
"Ooof! Hey!" Han exclaimed in surprise as a soft pillow, which had fallen off the bed earlier, hit him squarely in the face.
"Looks like I can move stuff." Leia declared sweetly.
Han tried to scowl but he couldn't, a grin spread across his face and he opened his arms. Leia crawled towards him, floating the pillow away.
3.
The Empire had fallen but there were still a tiny group who refused to accept this, made up of a mixture of supporters, officers, and stormtroopers. They hid and attempted to regroup, hoping to strike back in revenge. They lacked the strength of the Empire - with it's powerful weapons, ships, and huge army - but they had the element of surprise. The attacks were small, going after former members of the Rebel Alliance. They wanted to make a statement - that there was still an Imperial presence in the galaxy.
The New Republic were trying to track them but the galaxy was a big place and the underground network of trouble-makers were, so far, managing to avoid being found. Potential targets were identified, high-ranking people in the Rebel Alliance, and they were urged to take special precautions. Leia knew she was one of the those people, and so she still kept her blaster close and her wits about her.
It was frustrating, still having to be on her guard all the time, and she hoped that soon, these people would be arrested. It wasn't long before an informant came forward, tempted by the hefty reward for information that the New Republic offered. Arrests followed, trials were conducted, and it seemed as though the main players had been caught. The attacks ceased, and there was quiet. So much so, it seemed that they could relax somewhat.
Leia was on her way home from a meeting, her mind focused on the complexities of a decision that had to be made in the near future. She did not notice the two men who weaved through the crowded streets, following her at a distance. It was a warm summer evening, and the sun was only just setting, Leia decided to take a short cut through a local park. She was half-way down the tree-lined path, when she realised that hers were not the only footsteps she could hear. Yes, there were two others behind her. A bolt of fear went through her, she noted that there were no other people around and that she was now in a wooded area that obscured her view of the bustling city. She had no blaster but there was always one weapon she carried with her.
"Princess Leia." It had been a while since anyone called her that. "We're armed, there's no point running."
She turned slowly, head held high, hands on hips, "Why would I run?" She asked nonchalantly.
They were dressed in simple, dark clothing. But both wore belts with Imperial buckles.
"Time's up, Princess. We'll make it quick though." They smirked, as they aimed their weapons.
As they prepared to pull the triggers and kill her, she waved her hand swiftly and their blasters flew out of their hands and hovered in the air in front of Leia.
"Imperial blasters. Not many of these left." She looked at them closely, a small smile on her face, and used the force to spin the weapons around, now pointing one at each of the men.
They gaped in shock, disbelief clear on their faces. Everyone had heard about Luke Skywalker and his Jedi powers. But few knew about Leia. The men had assumed this would be a fairly straight-forward mission, and that Leia's death would send shockwaves across the galaxy. But they were wrong.
Leia unclipped her comms device, calling the local enforcement division, "I've encountered some very interesting gentlemen who are desperate to experience the hospitality of our prison."
4.
Ben had just learned to smile, a lopsided grin that spread across his chubby baby cheeks. As cute as it was, Han seemed to be the only one who could get him to do it. Ben lay on his back in his cot, his parents gazing down at him.
"What can I say, he's captivated by my hilarious wit."
"Mm-hmm, he's probably laughing at you." Leia frowned, reaching out to stroke her son’s forehead.
"Hey," Han nudged her with his shoulder, "He'll do it for you too, soon, I'm sure."
“I know.”
Han kissed Leia’s cheek, “I’ll make us some lunch?” He asked gently.
”Sounds good.” She muttered, without looking up.
Han crept out of the room, and then it was just Leia and Ben. Sighing, she pursued her lips and glanced around, Ben’s toys catching her eye. A collection of soft, cuddly toys of all types and shapes, reminiscent of the ones she remember from her own childhood.
But it was the shelf above the toys that really piqued her interest. Those could work. She considered the row of delicately-made miniature planets - Alderaan, Corellia, Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Naboo. Decorated beautifully in striking colours, they were constructed using a clear, transparent material. They were eye-catching ornaments which she hoped Ben would someday treasure.
As they were so fragile, they were currently kept out of Ben’s reach, on a shelf high on the wall. But now, Leia decided, it was time for Ben to see them up close.
Leia lifted her hand, and the toys slid off the shelf one by one, gliding through the air until they hovered above Ben’s cot. She lowered them until they were just out of the reach of his little hands, and spun them steadily around in a circle. His eyes widened comically, causing Leia to stifle a giggle, and he gaped in wonder at the miniature planets. They sparkled in the light, the colours changing subtly as they rotated.
Minutes passed, Leia and Ben enjoyed the gentle swirling of the planets in comfortable silence. Just as Leia was about to give up on the idea of a smile from her son, he gave a small laugh and began to beam happily. It was the biggest smile he’d given so far, and Leia clapped in joy.
“Han!” She called ecstatically. “Look!” She smiled triumphantly as he dashed into the room and leant over the cot.
”That’s the best smile yet.”
Lunch forgotten, they appreciated the moment.
5.
Leia had tried everyday since the decimation of the Jedi temple to contact Luke. Her frustration turning to desperation. He was alive, she knew that much for certain, but he seemed to be missing from the Force. As much as she meditated, reached out, and searched - there was nothing. Luke had disappeared.
But Leia kept trying, it distracted her from everything to do with Ben. That was something she could not, and did not want to, face at that time. She told herself if she could just contact Luke, feel his presence in the Force, then she would be able to move forward and plan what should happen next.
Where are you? She sat on the floor of her bedroom, eyes squeezed tightly shut, attempting send her message as strongly as possible. Talk to me, please! Surely he couldn’t ignore her forever, eventually he would have to contact her in some way. Was he hiding? Recovering? Lost? Unable to use the Force? Luke was brave, a man who never gave up, who always tried to do the right thing. The idea that he would run off into isolation seemed impossible.
Leia thought back to Cloud City, during the time of the Empire, all those years ago. Luke had sensed trouble and rushed to them, disregarding his own safety. It was events like that which was what she associated most with her brother, his heroism. But, perhaps, she did not know him as well as she thought or, maybe, he had changed as he had grown older and she had missed it.
Pushing those thoughts from her mind, they were not helpful at that moment, she tried again. Luke? Luke! LUKE.
Nothing. It was as if she was shouting into the abyss. Exhaling sharply, Leia opened her eyes and stretched as she got up. She wanted to keep trying to contact him, to delay the inevitable. But she was practical, she couldn’t wait for Luke forever. There were bigger things at play here and Leia needed to face them.
Ben. And the darkness he was associated with.
Once again, it was time for her to fight. She just lamented that she would do so without Luke.